IS Group Syria: Security Forces Clash with Jihadists in Aleppo
On Saturday, a member of Syria’s security forces was killed in clashes with jihadists in the northern city of Aleppo, as reported by the country’s interior ministry. During a targeted operation aimed at dismantling a cell linked to the Islamic State (IS), three jihadists were also neutralized. The interior ministry announced that operatives from the Aleppo security department, in cooperation with general intelligence services, conducted a raid on a location believed to be harboring IS militants.
The operation, which resulted in one security personnel’s death, concluded with the neutralization of three jihadists and the arrest of four others. Authorities reported the confiscation of explosives, an explosive vest, and various uniforms associated with the General Security forces during the raid. However, a different source, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, claimed that the death toll included five individuals, two of whom were security forces.
Conflicting Reports on Casualties and Operations
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK, reported that among the deceased were three suspected members of an IS-affiliated cell, two of whom reportedly detonated themselves during the confrontation. Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Observatory, suggested that these extremists might have previously served in the security forces before defecting to IS.
This incident underscores the ongoing security challenges faced by Syria’s transitional authorities, which evolved from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist network. After nearly 14 years of conflict, these authorities are struggling to maintain control and security in a war-torn country, especially with the rise of militant factions like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the offensive against the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
Shifts in Power and International Reactions
Amid these challenges, the new Syrian government has moved to consolidate power by disbanding rival armed factions and incorporating groups such as HTS into the newly established General Security forces. Furthermore, this week, U.S. President Donald Trump signaled possible easing of sanctions on Syria, outlining specific demands that include measures aimed at preventing a resurgence of IS.
IS gained significant territorial control across Syria and Iraq during the early stages of the Syrian civil war, declaring a self-proclaimed ‘caliphate’ in 2014. The tide turned in 2019 when U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces achieved a decisive defeat of IS in Syria, yet the group has persisted in maintaining a presence, primarily in the country’s vast desert regions.
